Waterbury evening Democrat., 1887-12-30
THE BIG STRIKE ]!
WAITING FOR THE DECISION OF
 THE CONVENTION.

The Delegates in session-Refusing to
 Confer with tho Knights-Chairman
 Leo Discharsed-He Has an Interview
 with Superintendent sweigard.
 READING, Pa, Dec 30.-Before the con- vention of Knights of Labor. representing all classes of employees of the Reading Rail- road company, met here last night, Super intendent Cable said: "The strike is over. We arc in control Trains are running reg tion.n
 At 4 o'clock yesterday aftertoon forty men, all miners, representing the coal regions where some of the railroad men ara still in revolt, arrived to attend the conven- tion. There were but few conciliatory spirita among the miners, and before the convention it looked as if they, with the men from Philadelphia, aided by the dis charged mon there and at Port Richmond, would control the body At o'clock, the hour of the meeting, over $50 delegates were in Excelsior hall, at enth and Chest nut streets.
 When the meeting was called to order the room was cleared of every one but delegates. The convention was presided over by Der. nard J. Sharkey, of Port Richmond, one of the discharged employees. MT. Sharkey made hn address, in which he expressed the hope that their business would be conducted with unity and harmony. and in the interest of the army of honest, intelligent working men. This sentiment was appIauded.
 h early became evident from the tone of the convention that it was in the hands of the delegates from tho coal regions. Schuyl- kill county alone had over 100 delegates on tho floor of the hall After he convention had been in session several hours, Delegate Lee left the hall temporarily and was im- nediately surrounded by reporters. He said the convention would surely order general tie up.
 Up to this Eour no particulars as to the result of the meeting can be learned, although it has h..'n sad upon somewhat vague author ty, that Chairman Lees action in- dorsin. ren, W q of the strike will be sus- tained
 PHILhDLLPAIA, Dec 3O.-Just before noon yesterday. Jo, Lee, accompanied by Henry l. Besh,tt, b tn ti charged members of the strikets' ex cut.v, committed, called on SuIerinst,, ienl Sweigard at the main office. Mr. s:w iS' rd Ike. them waiting some time, du h. VT, C., Ire announcel that Mir. Swell 2 rd n."..e t for him. Finally, when MT. Sweil rtl WIS ready to see him, he expressed his W, inAn-s for a private conference with him. Ife, however, wanted Bennett to be lrtslt member of the commit tee. .,r. sweigard positively refused to s-e an, ody else than Lee, and said he wou n', recognize any committee on this strikr. L'n il, ld a short consultation with E nncst, ani thAn entered MT. Sweigard's r.s m m sxs..i him if he refused to recog- mig ne ,., mmi tes. '.I will recognizs no csanniit.e but will talk if you wish with you,' an Ncred the superintendent This ci.sai the meeting, and he went away threatening to make bitter fight against the coiiipnny, and predicting that the Read ing convention would order a general strike, ami th 75,0J0 men would be ordered to quit worx in the coal regions. Sh rtly after this conference nn order was received d,scharging Mir. l. from the employ of the company. He machinist, employed in the repair shops in this city.
 During the day Mr. Corbin sent long order to A. A. Mcleod, general manager at Philadelphia This order was in the shape of sort of ultimatum. It reads to the effect that all those who have stood by the Reading road will be protected and paid the highest market wages, with reasonable hours of work. Men who join the strike will never, under any circumstances, be employed again
 PorTsv1LLE, Pa., Dec. 3O.-The sensation of the day here was Q rumor of the arrest of Chairman John L. Lee, and a report that he had been spirited away by an officer during the night. The chief of the Reading railroad detectives did mako call on Lee at o'clock yesterday morning, and after brief confer ence they separated. and at o'clock met at the Philadelphia and Reading railroad sta- tion again and left for Philadelphia. When the rumor became bruited about it was ex- plained by those whom Lee left in charge of his headquarters that Mir. Sweigard had SC a special messenger to invite him to con- ference. When the news came later that MT. Sweigard had turned his back on Lee the arrest story was renewed, and the charge against him was said to have been threaten ing to interfere with the United States mails by stopping the mai; trains. Assembly No. 7,6S9 which has been continuously in session since Tuesday morning, endeavored to learn the truth by telegraph, but was un- able to do so.
 NEW YORK, Dec S6-A delegation from the Reading strikers, consisting of seven men, with Sharkey for chairman, were in this city on Wednesday night and yester- day in consultation with the officers of Dis trict Assembly No. 49 of the Knights of Labor. The delegates asked Timothy Put nam, who had taken part in settling the great strike last winter, to cooperate with the executive board of the strikers in Read ing in carrying on or settling the strike, and they said that if he took charge of affairs they would place everything in his hands. They were very anxious to make the present strike success, and they would carry out his instructions.
 Chairman Sharkey denounced Mir. Corbin and said that his treachery was driving the
 men almost to frenzy. The men were pre- pared to do anything to win this strike, and, would make bitter fight. Sharkey then gave his version of the occurrences of the last few days. The strikers executive board. : he said, waited on Superintendent Sweigard late on Monday evening, and he told the members that the men could go back to work, their grievances would be investi- gated, and all would be settled quietly and satisfactorily to both sides. While the board was deliberating upon the proposal somebody telegraphed along the line that the strike had been settled, and that the mon should go back to work. When the members of the board heard of this they hastened to countermand the order, but the telegraph operators refused to send the dis patches over the wires, Mr. Sharkey be- lieves that the wires are in the hands of the railroad company, and that it sends out false news. Mr. Putnam had not yet made up his mind yesterday whether he would inter. fere with this strike.
 ErIzABETH, N. J., Dec. 8O.-Work was re- suaned on the Reading docks yesterday. The